Group C

Group C (team guides from FIFA)


Colombia: Cotia


Best price = 33/1

FIFA’s key players
With his sparkling form at Monaco, the prolific Falcao is now generally regarded as Colombia’s main attacking threat. The 25-year-old predator came to prominence at River Plate, first in the youth team and then with the senior side, before moving to Europe in 2009 where he won two Leagues, two Cups, three Super Cups and the UEFA Europa League with Porto, and then added another UEFA Europa League and European Super Cup with Atletico Madrid. As well as Falcao, the Colombians can also count on the experience of defensive duo Mario Yepes and Luis Perea at the back, as well as the creativity of attacking midfielder James Rodriguez and the goalscoring instinct of Teo Gutierrez, a lethal partner for Falcao up front.

My key player:Juan Cuadrado


Coach: Jose Pekerman
Best performances in a FIFA competition: FIFA U-20 World Cup UAE 2003 (Third place), FIFA World Cup Italy 1990 (Round of 16)

Greece: Aracaju


Best price = 350/1

FIFA’s key players
Captain and seasoned midfield general Giorgos Karagounis remains the dominant figure in the Greek line-up but forwards Dimitrios Salpingidis and Mitroglou will certainly have a part to play and provide Santos with a variety of attacking options. He can also call on the experience of the likes of Theofanis Gekas and Giorgos Samaras, which will be key when the tournament begins. Incidentally, though, despite their array of attacking talent, it was Greece’s defence that stole the show in qualifying, laying the foundation for success by conceding just four times in ten matches.

My key player: Giorgios Karagounis


Coach: Fernando Santos
Best performances in a FIFA competition: USA 1994, South Africa 2010 (Group stages)

Cote Ivoire: Aguas de Lindoia


Best price = 150/1

FIFA’s key players
Côte d’Ivoire boast some of the greatest individual talents in Africa. Forwards Drogba and Salomon Kalou are a formidable front pair, while midfield duo Didier Zokora and Yaya Toure perform key ball-winning duties in the middle of the park. Explosive winger Gervinho supplies service from both flanks, with Emmanuel Eboue and Kolo Toure providing a wealth of experience at the back. 

My key player:Yaya Toure


Coach: Sabri Lamouchi
Best performances in a FIFA competition: FIFA World Cup Germany 2006, South Africa 2010 (Group stages), FIFA U-17 World Cup Canada 1987 (Third place), FIFA Confederations Cup Saudi Arabia 1992 (Fourth place)

Japan: Itu


Best price = 200/1

FIFA’s key players
Having excelled during the last FIFA World Cup and the recent AFC Asian Cup, CSKA midfielder Keisuke Honda has quickly established his place as the team's new leader, filling the void left by Hidetoshi Nakata and Shunsuke Nakamura. Spearheading the attacking-line are Shinji Kagawa and Shinji Okazaki, who finished the continental finals as the team's top-scorer with three goals. Driving the central field alongside Honda is set-piece specialist Yasuhito Endo while Schalke 04 defender Atsuto Uchida is the key man at the rearguard.

My key player:Keisuke Honda


Coach: Alberto Zaccheroni
Best performances in a FIFA competition: Men’s Olympic Football Tournament Mexico City 1968 (Third place), FIFA U-20 World Cup Nigeria 1999 (Runners-up), FIFA U-17 World Cup Mexico 2011 (Quarter-finals)


Group C summary
I found this an intriuging group to figure out. The reason this group is so interesting is that both winers and runners-up will have a realistic chance of going a decent way in the tournament. Colombia are in as the seeds and rightly so, finishing 2nd only 2 points behind Argentina in qualifying. They have a fast-improving team of young stars and a home continent World Cup. With their team full of players plying their trade in the top European leagues, they should have enough to qualify from this group but who knows what the pressure of starting as favourites for their group will do?  The negatives for me are the lack of match practice for Radamel Falcao who has been picked despite not playing since Janaury, and (like Chile in Group B) the fact that none of their games take place in difficult venues for their opponents. I really like the look of Juan Cuadrado, the wide midfielder from Fiorentina, and think he could be one of the stars of the tournament.  If they do qualify, they will play someone from England's group in the second round and then they have a possible quarter final which will either be in Fortaleza or Salvador (depending whether they win their group or come second) and the conditions in those venues should favour the South American side. I can see Colombia going a long way in this tournament IF they get out of the group. What makes it difficult is that their group opponents are similarly difficult to assess. Ivory Coast have some old warhorses like Drogba, Toure, Toure and Zokora - and probably have the most experience of any team in this group. But what will be the key here, experience or mobility? They play Japan first up in Recife in conditions which may just favour the younger Japansese, but may benefit from the conditions in Fortaleza for their last group game against Greece. I wonder whether some of Ivory Coast's better players are now past their best? Their games against Japan and Greece also both involve 3,000 mile round trips from their home base in Aguas de Lindoia. Japan under Zaccharini could provide a minor shock by qualifying from this tough group. Pace and stamina is what Japan's style is about, and games in tough, humid conditions against Ivory Coast and Greece may find out their more experienced opponents. With Kagawa and Honda Japan will cause defences all sorts of problems and if they go through as runners-up they may find they can go all the way to the semi-finals as the runners-up slot would give them games in hot and humid conditions in the 2nd round and quarter-finals in Recife then Salvador. Greece are a team that continually get written off and continually surprise their critics. So I'm going to write them off and criticise them. I can't see them winning a game in this group. Colombia will have too much (although playing them first might be the best time to meet them) and then games against Japan in Natal and Ivory Coast in Fortaleza will probably suit their opponents more than them.

Bets
Japan to qualify 5/4